Bridgewater Commons hosts Diwali celebration
One of Northern New Jersey’s largest shopping centers was host to a “Festival of Lights” celebration last weekend.
The Hindu holiday of Diwali was celebrated at Bridgewater Commons in Bridgewater Township, N.J. on Nov. 2, with the celebration featuring dance and music performances, arts and crafts, prize giveaways, and more. Diwali is the Hindu Festival of Lights symbolizing the spiritual "victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance."
According to Pew Research Center, New Jersey has the highest share of Hindus of any U.S. state, with 3% of all adults identifying as Hindu.
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Image courtesy of Bridgewater Commons. -
Image courtesy of Bridgewater Commons.
At the Bridgewater Commons celebration, a Bollywood dance performance from the Edison, N.J.-based Satrangi School of Fusion was featured, in addition to a dance and music theatrical presentation by the Navrang Dance Academy. Arts and crafts tables for families included Henna art application, decorative tea lights, and Indian sweets. Shopping prize giveaways and a selfie photo booth allowed guests to share their Diwali experiences. Guests held electric candle lights during Arti, a Hindu prayer ritual employed in worship in which light from a flame is ritually waved to venerate deities.
“We were thrilled to see so many people celebrate this festival that is sacred to our strong and growing Hindu population and beloved by South Asians everywhere,” said Tom Kovacic, marketing and business development director at Bridgewater Commons. “We thank Renascent Media for its help in planning this festival.
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Bridgewater Commons spans more than 1.2 million sq. ft., and features over 150 retailers, anchored by Bloomingdale’s and Macy’s. The property is operated by Pacific Retail Capital Partners.
